Under the colonial administration large forest areas were converted to agricultural use and plantations because of the high demand of European countries for cocoa, palm oil and rubber. The Ghanaian rainforest reduced in the last 100 years through over exploitation by over 80 percent.

Within the last 40 years the Ghanaian population increased from 4 to 18 Million whilst still 80 percent of the population generate their income from farming. Population pressure, expansion of landless resource and the traditional practice of slash & burn have thus contributed to reduce the natural forests.